Safe walking route to Sage Creek Elementary

The safety of the students at Sage Creek has been our most significant concern. Inconvenience, though important, is a secondary concern. 

Traffic flow for pick-up and drop-off is as follows:

Cars line up on the West side of 700 E (road in front of our school) going from the North towards the South.  Cars wait in line until a spot opens up in which all cars behind that car move forward.  Teachers monitoring will continue to usher cars forward to allow for as many cars as possible to fit along the street.  Once a driver picks up his/her children, he/she should pull out into the street and continue South.  "U turns" are absolutely unsafe and should not be attempted.  Students who are walking and/or want to meet parents who line up either in the surrounding neighborhood or the East side of 700 East should use the crosswalk where it is safe to cross.  Parents are asked to support their students using the crosswalk and not try to motion their students across the street.

• Favorite tip #1:  Take a deep breath and be patient - it really does flow well when everybody takes their turn.

• Favorite tip #2:  Wait 5 min after the end of the day - it is a completely different scene 5 min after the bell rings.

1. What is the traffic flow pattern in front of the school supposed to accomplish?

For several years, parents and teachers have expressed concern that the traffic and congestion in front of the school is endangering our children. Our foremost concern has been to create a traffic pattern so that no child has to cross in front of moving traffic in order to meet a carpool or to get home from school, except at the marked crosswalk.

2. Whose idea was this anyway?

The traffic flow patterns are a joint effort between concerned parents and the Sage Creek Community Council (a council made up of parents, PTA representatives, and teachers). Members of the council meet with the Springville Police Department and the Risk Management Supervisor for Nebo School District at least yearly concerning this plan.

3. Why have you cut off access to the parking lots?

Sometimes I have a legitimate need to park my car during the period of time when the parking lot is closed. Students who walk south along 700 East have to cross in front of the entrance and exit for the parking lot. Our safety documentation showed us that the lack of visibility for drivers entering and exiting the parking lot created a significant enough safety hazard to warrant closing the parking lot for fifteen minutes both before and after school. Parents who need to park during those brief closure periods have usually found ample parking space against the east curb of 700 East. 

4. Where does the carpool lane begin and end?

The carpool lane runs along the West side of 700 South, beginning south of the crosswalk and continuing to the end of the south parking lot. Please do not park in the red zone north of the crosswalk or at the comer of 1000 South and 700 East. Be sure to pull all the way forward, so more cars can fit.

5. Why do I need to constantly move forward in the carpool lane? Can't I just stay put until my children are all in the car?

A goal of the carpool lane is to alleviate congestion. Parents are asked to move their cars as far forward as possible, and in the afternoon, this may necessitate moving more than once, depending on how quickly your carpool loads. After school, moving cars forward helps alleviate congestion from cars attempting to turn onto 700 East from 1000 South. We remind parents to use caution and be certain that children are safely in the vehicle before moving forward. 

6. Why can't I make a U-turn in front of the school?

When school is letting out, a U-turn at that intersection is both a safety issue and an interference with other traffic.

Here is the code section on U-turns:

 41-6a-802.  Turning around -- Where prohibited -- Visibility. (1)          As used in this section, "railroad grade crossing" means the area between the passive or active warning signs where a railroad track and roadway intersect. (2)          The operator of a vehicle may not make a U-turn or turn the vehicle to proceed in the opposite direction: (a)          unless the movement can be made safely and without interfering with other traffic; (b)          on any curve, or upon the approach to, or near the crest of a grade, if the vehicle is not visible at a distance of 500 feet by the operator of any other vehicle approaching from either direction; and (c)           on a railroad track or railroad grade crossing. (3)          A violation of Subsection (2) is an infraction.

7. I've never seen a bus parked in the bus zone. Why can't we use that area for drop-off and pick up?

The laws that govern Bus Zones are federally mandated. Where the curb is painted green, it is unlawful for a car to park or even stop temporarily - even if a bus in nowhere in sight.

8. Who can I call if I have suggestions for improvement to the traffic flow plan?

Suggestions for improvements are welcome, please share them with members of the School Community Council, the front office, teachers you see on duty monitoring the day's pick-up/drop-off, and/or the principal (Mrs. Youd) directly. Your improvement suggestions need to take into consideration the safety of all Sage Creek students and not just focus on convenience.  However, we are open to any/all suggestions!